Interlocking electrical connector

ABSTRACT

Male and female electrical connectors, each having contacts bent medially to provide one portion overlying another portion. The female connector includes an offset stepped socket which permits contact engagement within the socket thereby preventing separation of the connectors under the influence of outwardly pulling forces.

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y MPM u 6% u mn 6 M 4 w m 3 mnvwmi f d W m N m u h AH? m M I I l 5 1 nun u FOREIGN PATENTS 12/1933 Switzerland.............;....

Primary ExaminerRichard E. Moore 4Claims,3lkawingl igs.

H0lr 13/06, H0 1 Attorneys Clarence A. O Brien and Harvey B. Jacobson [50] Field of 339/103, 196, 191,91 E 1 198, 176,253,252 ABSTRACT: Male and female electrical connectors, each having contacts bent medially to provide one portionoverlycludes an offset gagement within the ing another portion. The female connector in stepped socket which permits contact en 339/ [95 X socket thereby preventing separation of the connectors under 339/102 the influence of outwardly pulling forces.

m Nu" m m A Wm CW M m km mKO os 5 3 mm 37 26 g kitJ g e PATENTED AUG24 l9?! i I l9 7 Edmund M. Waller, 5r

INVEN'I'OK m Wyn/way Em INTERLOCKING ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR The present invention relates to electrical connectors.

A primary disadvantage of conventional electrical connectors is their inability to withstand unintentional separating pulling forces. In many applications, when it is desired to secure two connectors together, tape or clamps must be employed. As will be appreciated, these rather crude techniques for securing the connectors together are time-consuming.

The present invention is directed to mating connectors which can withstand separating forces having a tendency to separate the connectors. The contacts employed in the male and female connectors are sinuous in design thereby per mitting extended overlying engagement between the two contacts. The female connector includes an offset stepped passageway which seats the female contact and upon insertion and engagement of the male contact therein, the male contact is precluded from outward displacement due to its disposition in the offset passageway. Accordingly, in applications where pulling or tensile forces are exerted upon one or both connectors, electrical continuity is insured.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the male and female connectors in an engaged position.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the male and female connectors in a separated position.

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along a plane passing through section line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly FIG. I, the present invention is seen to include an electrical connection comprising a female connector and a male connector 12.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 there will be shown the structure of the male connector 12 which includes a hollowed elongated shell 18 which is removably secured to a base plate or member 20 having a generally rectangular cross section. The shell 18 and base member 20 have flush peripheral sides. The members are secured together by means of suitable fasteners 22 which pass through the shell 18 and are received in the base member 20.

As will be seen by referring to FIG. 3, three longitudinally aligned and spaced apertures 24 are formed in the baseplate 20 to permit insertion of the elongated portion of contacts 26. Considering the structure of each identical contact, the inward end of the contact extends into the shell 18 and provides means for attaching a terminal wire portion thereto as indicated by 28. Each contact has an associated wire 30 connected thereto, the wire forming a portion of a cable 32 which passes through an aperture 34 in the connector housing 18. A generally U-shaped clamp 36 is suitably fastened to the interior of the shell 18 and serves to clamp the inwardly disposed portion of cable 32 to the shell thereby inhibiting wrenching of the cable from the connector.

The particular configuration of the contact will be seen by viewing FIG. 2 wherein there is shown the outwardly extending portion of contact 26 including an exposed elongated portion 38 integrally appending to an arcuate portion 40 which curves inwardly toward the base member 20, and is finally deformed to include two spaced peaks and an intermediate recess thereby generally resembling the numeral 3, as indicated by 42. Otherwise stated, the contact is bent medially to provide one portion overlying another portion. An insulating strip 43 is retained in overlying contacting relation with the outward surface of the base member and also serves as a sealing interface with the mating female connector 10.

With continuing reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the female connector I0 is seen to include a shell 44 similar to the shell 18 of the male connector. A base member 46 is removably secured to the shell 44 by means of suitable fasteners 47 which pass through the shell and the base member. As will be noted by viewing FIG. 2, the outward surface of the base member 46 forms an interface with the outward surface of gasket 43 of the male connector 12. The base member 46 includes three longitudinally aligned rectangular sockets or entrance ways 50. As will be appreciated by viewing FIG. 3, the entrance 50 appends downwardly to an offset recess or passageway 52 formed within the intermediate. body 54 of the base member 46. The inner wall 55 of the base member 46, which confronts the shell 44 of the female connector, includes apertures 56 formed therein for purposes of receiving a connecting portion of a sinuously deformed female contact 58 being bent medially to provide one portion overlying another portion resulting in the formation of a pocket to embrace the male contact 26. Each contact specifically includes an arcuate portion adapted to overlyingly contact the arcuate portion 40 of an engaged male contact 26, and an end portion deformed to include two spaced peaks and an intermediate recess to effect detent action with the mating contact. The end portion of contact 58 is adapted to overlie the associated portion of male contact 26. Contacts 26 and 58 must necessarily be made resilient to allow their mutual engagement. 4

As will be noted in FIG. 3, the connecting portion of female contact 58 is connected with a terminal wire portion as indicated by 60. The connected wire 62 forms a part of a cable 64 having a plurality of wires connected to respective female contacts. A generally U-shaped clamp member 66 suitably attached to shell 44 is identical tothe previously mentioned clamp 36 in the male connector and serves the same function.

FIG. 3 clearly illustrates the disposition of the outward end 68 of the female contact. In particular, this end is frictionally retained within a recessformed in the body 54 of the base member 46.

Referring to FIG. 2, in operation of the connectors, the contacts of the male connector are inserted within respective entrances 50 in the female connector. After engagement of the connector interfacing surfaces, the male connector is displaced downwardly so that the male contacts engage the female contacts in the offset passageway 52, formed in the female connector. Inasmuch as the male contact is now en gaged within the passageway 52, forces exerted upon the connectors tending to pull them apart are ineffective due to the retention of the engaged male contact within the passageway 52 which is offset from the entrance 50.

In order to further secure retention of the male and female connectors together, slidable detent means indicated by 69 are mounted to both transverse ends of the male and female connectors. Particularly, each detent means includes a stationarily attached guide member 70 which guides the motion of an elongated slidable detent locking means 72. Detent recess 74 are formed in the adjacent complementing surfaces of the connectors so that when engagement between the connectors is effected, the slide 72 on each connector can be displaced until the detent projection on each slide 72 engages a respective detent recess 74 on the adjacent connector. By sliding both detent means on both transverse ends of the connector, longitudinal motion between the transverse ends of the connectors is inhibited.

When separation of the connectors is desired, the detent means are withdrawn from engagement thereby permitting the male contact to be moved upwardly until the male and female contacts are disengaged. Then upon straight outward displacement, the male contacts are withdrawn from the respective entrances 50 thereby completing separation of the connectors. Although the present description has been stated in terms of connectors which are manually fastened together, it will be appreciated that each connector and associated cable may be fabricated in the form of a single molded unity by utilizing conventional molding techniques.

Although the present invention has been described in terms of two mating connectors to form a connection. with'suitable modification of the design but using the basic principle of the invention, the female connector may well be used as a socket connector recessed within a wall or have a screw base which would permit utilization of the connector in an ordinary light socket.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A female connector comprising a housing adapted for enclosing the terminal portion of a wire, a base element connected to the housing and having a surface adapted to form an interface with the mating connector, at least one passageway formed in said base element having a first longitudinal portion extending from and perpendicular to the surface and a second longitudinal portion substantially parallel to the surface, each of said first and at least one contact inserted within the base element having a body bent medially to provide one portion overlying another to form a resilient pocket in the second portion of said passageway for embracing a mating contact, said contact having outward ends rigidly attached to said base element.

2. A male connector comprising a housing adapted for enclosing the terminal portion of wire, a male base element connected to the housing and having a surface adapted to form an interface with a mating connector, at least one male contact having a cantilever portion extending from said substantially perpendicular to the surface of the male base element, said male contact having a body spaced from said surface and bent medially to provide one portion overlying a free flexing resilient end portion with a hollow therebetween, both portions being laterally offset to one side of the cantilever portion thus effecting a resilient contact structure to be embraced by a mating female contact said portions being shaped to affect resilient detent with the mating female contact.

3. The structure set forth in claim 2 together with a female connector comprising a second housing adapted for enclosing the terminal portion of a wire, a female base element connected to the second housing and having a'surface adapted to from an interface with the surface of the base element of the male connector, a plurality of passageways formed in said female element each having a first longitudinal portion extending from the surface and a second longitudinal portion substantially parallel to the surface, each of said first and each of said second portions being substantially parallel to one another respectively, at least one female contact inserted within the female base element having a body located in the second portion of a passageway, and bent medially to provide one portion overlying another to form a resilient pocket for embracing the male contact.

4. The structure of claim 3 wherein the both said housings include hollow shell portions, and together with removable fastening means for securing said first and second housings to the male and female base elements respectively. 

1. A female connector comprising a housing adapted for enclosing the terminal portion of a wire, a base element connected to the housing and having a surface adapted to form an interface with the mating connector, at least one passageway formed in said base element having a first longitudinal portion extending from and perpendicular to the surface and a second longitudinal portion substantially parallel to the surface, each of said first and at least one contact inserted within the base element having a body bent medially to provide one portion overlying another to form a resilient pocket in the second portion of said passageway for embracing a mating contact, said contact having outward ends rigidly attached to said base element.
 2. A male connector comprising a housing adapted for enclosing the terminal portion of wire, a male base element connected to the housing and having a surface adapted to form an interface with a mating connector, at least one male contact having a cantilever portion extending from said substantially perpendicular to the surface of the male base element, said male contact having a body spaced from said surface and bent medially to provide one portion overlying a free flexing resilient end portion with a hollow therebetween, both portions being laterally offset to one side of the cantilever portion thus effecting a resilient contact structure to be embraced by a mating female contact said portions being shaped to affect resilient detent with the mating female contact.
 3. The structure set forth in claim 2 together with a female connector comprising a second housing adapted for enclosing the terminal portion of a wire, a female base element connected to the second housing and having a surface adapted to from an interface with the surface of the base element of the male connector, a plurality of passageways formed in said female element each having a first longitudinal portion extending from the surface and a second longitudinal portion substantially parallel to the surface, each of said first and each of said second portions being substantially parallel to one another respectively, at least one female contact inserted within the female base element having a body located in the second portion of a passageway, and bent medially to provide one portion overlying another to form a resilient pocket for embracing the male contact.
 4. The structure of claim 3 wherein the both said housings include hollow shell portions, and together with removable fastening means for securing said first and second housings to the male and female base elements respectively. 